Review Wind March 1-11, 2006 Part I

My wife and I (Susan & Gene) just returned from twelve days in Hawaii; ten of which were spent on a cruise on the Norwegian Wind. We were one of four couples (Blocks, Currys, Mills, Remys) out of the Galveston Bay Area of Texas; friends who dance and socialize together. I think we are all in agreement that we had a fantastic time in Hawaii.

One advantage to living cheek to jowl with Houston is that you can fly about anywhere in the world with a minimum of stops and difficulty. Our outbound from Bush Int’l Airport Feb. 27th was an 8 ½ hour nonstop to Honolulu arriving at 2:00PM Hawaiian time. This gave us time to pick up our rental cars at the Marriott and settle into our hotels before spending a leisurely evening strolling on the beach in Waikiki and dining in a very nice Chinese restaurant we found in the “Revealed” book for Oahu. Susan had a “Revealed” for each island we visited. They were a great recourse, as well as the information we got from “Spleen93”, “Suebee” and others who so generously shared their knowledge on Cruise Critics.

I think it will be best to review the ship and cruise, and then discuss each island we visited separately.

The Cruise - I was very pleasantly surprised, after reading all the reviews, about NCL and the Wind; although before you NCL sycophants start saying “I told you so,” I still rank it last of the lines on which we have traveled.

March 1st, embarkation day, our group went out to the Aloha Swap meet and Pearl Harbor that morning, so by the time we had dropped off our people and luggage and checked in the cars at the Marriott, we weren’t all at the terminal until 4:00PM. As we had pre-registered, and the people who complain of long lines etc. had already boarded, it took only 10 minutes to enter the ship. Most of that time was spent while security checked our carry-ons for liquor. They grudgingly allowed the twelve packs of green tea and mineral water we purchased from the neighborhood ABC store to go with us.

Ship – They really do a great job with the maintenance on the Wind. It’s older, but shows less evident wear than the Grand Princess of our last voyage. The common rooms were well kept, and the teak wood on decks and rails was perfect. Stretching the ship has caused some problems with some areas, though; the Sports Bar (buffet) and elevators were way under sized for the number of passengers. Also getting about without walking through the showroom or dining room was a problem. It is my understanding that the ship doesn’t have modern stabilizers, but it was surprisingly smooth for what was some pretty windy weather in the Pacific. We took a non-drowsy formula Dramamine every morning which did a good job.

Cabin – We were all on deck 5 and were outside toward the stern. I think it was the smallest in which we have ever stayed; it’s for certain the shower was! As the ship’s comedian said, “Just soap the walls and spin around.” The bed was mid-cabin, and pointed fore & aft which did minimize any roll, but was in full view if the cabin door was open. We ordered a cushion top for the mattress and extra pillows, so it was quite comfortable sleeping through the cruise. The cabin had good storage and was well kept with no obvious stains or wear.

Crew/staff – It was like they blended HAL and RCCL, the room staff were Filipino and Indonesian, and the wait staff was really international with a lot of Eastern European women and men and some Caribbean men. Service was very good with very pleasant people and only one or two obvious attitudes. Our cabin stewards were always a joy and took care of our simple needs (ice) plus little touches like the mints and towel animals.

Cruise Director/Entertainment – We had arranged a Mix and Mingle onboard ahead of time. Much to our surprise Denny Anderson, the Cruise Director himself, came to the meeting. He was somewhat defensive, stating that a lot of people that posted on Cruise Critic didn’t understand the cruise industry. He was correct as we really use “Critics” for information, but, we certainly know good from bad, and what we got on other cruise lines. Denny was a nice guy, one of the old line cruise directors who said he does read Cruise Critics and gave us the impression someone had fried his grits in a recent review. A complementary punch was served and our small group of cruisers enjoyed meeting one another.

The entertainment was fine, typical cruise, which is about the same on all NCL ships; singer, dance troupe, comedian, juggler, and magician. All were professionals, and did a good job. What our group really enjoyed were the dance opportunities. Our four couples belong to two ballroom dance clubs, and are not above getting down to some old time rock & roll either. About 30 to 45 minutes before an evening show, and between the two (early & late), the Wind’s show band would roll back the stage to reveal a large dance floor, and play ballroom standards. We loved that, as well as the duo in the Observatory Lounge who played a lot of older and contemporary rock. Even the late night DJ would start with a Motown set at another location. The only caution was the ship’s movement in rough seas. We changed steps unexpectedly, one couple fell with a sudden ship roll, and hey, we’re not old people.

Polynesian Program – As it was a Hawaiian cruise, a Polynesian dance group performed. There were also hula lessons, lei making, palm frond weaving and other crafts. The people who participated, including our wives, really enjoyed it. I even joined in with a tasteful (Marksalot) ankle tattoo, and learning to pronounce Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (the state fish) This helped fill the sea days of which there were four. All of the usual shipboard activities also took place; Trivia, bridge, etc.

To be continued....

Freestyle – Does not work when the majority of the ship wants to have dinner between 5:30 and 7:00, especially a party of eight. We learned to wait, dance, see a show, and dine about 8:00 or later.

Dining – We ate in all the locations, and had very good service in each, although we avoided the Sports Bar (buffet) whenever possible based on crowding and the lack of available tables.

A major problem for us, and I believe it to be a Corporate one, was the poor quality of food and very small portions. I can see some consultant telling NCL, “Hey replace chicken breasts with hind quarters and you’ll save a million a year!” Even Le Bistro, the specialty restaurant with a cover charge, served the same small dry lobster as the regular dining rooms. Other dishes described as pork chops etc, were one chop about the size of a medallion with a bone in it. The menus were not very exciting and only mentioned a grilled chicken breast as an alternative.

Drinks have already been discussed on other reviews as being over priced, weak and offered all too often.

Ship problems – we did get to Fanning Island, but developed engine trouble on the way back. Fortunately, they were able make repairs at sea, but were two hours late getting to Kauai. They made up for this by staying an extra hour and a half. Also a plumbing repair gave us discolored water the last two days of the cruise, which probably didn’t affect water quality, but certainly killed any desire to drink it.

Ports of Call – Since this was a Hawaiian Cruise, the ship was second to the Islands. We found it, however, to have very limited port time due to when we arrived, tendering, or very early departures. As we were a party of eight, rental cars were the way to go. Two of us had travel credits which reduced the cost substantially. We had also done our homework through the “Revealed” books and were able to see things the ship tours never get to see. We rented through Hertz and Thrifty, and had no real problems. One caveat, fill the car before you return it, as on some of the islands they would charge as much as 22 cents a mile for gas.

Oahu – Arrived the afternoon of the 27th picked up our two cars at the Waikiki Marriott and settled in to our hotels. Three couples stayed at one of the Ohana chains, it was small, clean and only two blocks from the beach. That evening we strolled Waikiki, relaxed and had a group dinner in a very good Chinese Restaurant we found in “Revealed.”

We got an early start the next morning with a quick breakfast and drive up into the crater of Diamond Head. Wow, if you are physically fit, this is a must see. A volcano turned into a fortress in WWI, it has a commanding view of the island. The climb to the top, by switch-back trail, up steps, through tunnels and a spiral stair is a challenge, but the view is incredible. We then drove counter clockwise around the island stopping at bays and vistas as they occurred. One great one is the Na Pali lookout where the battle to control Oahu by King Kamehameha ended with hundreds of warriors driven off this high cliff. Our last stop for the day was a park with a view of the Island called Chinaman’s Hat, and then a quick drive back to Waikiki for an evening at Germaine’s Luau.

Germaine’s was ok, reasonably priced, and they pick you up by bus and drive you out to their location. Your guide entertains you, which is a good thing as Honolulu traffic turns this into an hour long trip. It is by a beach, the picnic tables, food and drinks were ok, and the dancers did a good job with some modern touches. It was also the only Luau not rained out on Oahu that evening. I rate this one as fair, because we went to the Old Lahaina Luau later during the cruise.

Mar. 1st boarding day – Another early breakfast and then off to the Aloha Swap Meet, and Pearl Harbor. The Swap Meet can best be described as a giant flea market in tents around Aloha Stadium. They have every thing Hawaiian you would ever want, especially those things you’ll lug back home and a year from now wonder “what impulse buy was that?” But 8 for $20 T-shirts and other great buys make it a must, especially on your way home. Swap meet is a misnomer, “you pays your money, you get Hawaiian stuff.”

Pearl Harbor – Only five minutes from the swap meet, so it’s very easy to do both. We only had time for a tour of the Missouri and pictures of the Arizona Memorial, but it was enough. It’s easy to see, with such a natural harbor, why it is so important to us.

Hawaii, Hilo – A dock port, and the cars are only about 5 minutes away at the airport. We picked up two, got the rest of our group at the dock and headed for Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park and the black sand beach at Punalu’u. Did I mention it was raining? We first drove to Punalu’u about 56 miles out. It was fantastic, and it stopped raining while we were there. A beautiful volcanic black sand beach surrounded by coconut palms in a sheltered cove with rough seas breaking on the lava headlands a short distance away. Here there be turtles!! Four to five Green Sea Turtles were in the cove gnawing the algae off the rocks or flippering around in the waves. Some were quite large and in shallow pools in the rocks where you can get very close. We went back to Volcano National Park (same highway) and drove the rim road. It was raining so hard we were afraid it had put the volcano out. In a way we were lucky, as Oahu and Kauai were flooded. That evening, as we were heading south to Fanning Island, we passed the lava flowing into the sea in the darkness. That is truly an awesome sight! We could feel the heat from the lava while standing on the Promenade deck.

Fanning Island – Two sea days out of Hilo we arrived at Fanning. We have read various reviews as a waste of time, or the highlight of the trip. Our group really enjoyed it, a beautiful Pacific island atoll with primitive Micronesian people. No electricity, or running water, the people lived in palapa huts with sleeping platforms. Their main income was raising coconuts and seaweed; that is until the ship started coming. Now it’s “let’s dance and sing and pose for money.” There is nothing wrong with that, as it does provide them with more then they had. The photo staff on board were offering a camera tour for $15 around the island. It was great, as we visited a village and a family for an up-close look at island life, and ended down at the NCL School where some children were playing cricket. The majority of the cruisers enjoyed a day on a beautiful beach with a BBQ. We did a little snorkeling in the small swimming area NCL had roped off, and saw some lion fish among others.

To be continued....

Kauai – Two sea days and a ship repair later we arrived at the “Garden Island;” what a beautiful place! Who am I kidding, they are all beautiful. We were late docking so the Captain announced we would stay until just before sundown. We went through customs very quickly and our group was off the ship, over to the airport for the rentals and away to Waimea Canyon. We were lucky, it wasn’t raining, and there were enough breaks in the clouds for great photos. One thing “Revealed” told us was to go past Kalalau Lookout for “a far superior” view, (http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/index.html indicted the road was closed at mile marker 18) so we hiked the additional mile to the Pu’u O Kila Lookout for one of the greatest vistas in the Pacific. They weren’t wrong; it’s a fantastic panorama of the Kalalau Valley down to the ocean. We briefly stopped at a beautiful beach at the mouth of the canyon and continued back to the port were we visited the neighborhood ABC store for more supplies.

Maui - It’s March and the Humpbacks are here, so whale watching was the main attraction for some of us. We had booked through the Pacific Whale Watch Foundation, a great choice; inexpensive, good service, and these people care! The whales were everywhere, several mothers with calves and escorts, and the highlight of the two hour cruise, several males fighting over a female. If you think whale songs are neat, you should hear them bellowing on the surface as they jump on one another. The Humpback can go up to 50+ tons, so it was very impressive.

The other event of the visit was the Old Lahaina Luau. This one is rated the best in the islands and with good cause. The grounds were first class: located by the beach, golf green turf, well designed facilities, and dining tables. Your drinks were included, and if you liked it strong, no problem. The food was exceptional, we had already done one luau, and knew the Lomi Lomi Salmon, roast pork, poi etc., but these people gave you so much more (Taro leaf wrapped pork was my favorite) in quality and service. All this just led up to the entertainment. Dance with traditional instruments, the evolution of Hawaii and its people, all presented with great costuming, lighting and presentation. The down side was, once again we had to leave early and get back to the ship to make the last tender at 8:30.

Kona - How do you top whale watching you ask; by snorkeling with Green Sea Turtles and the Humuhumunukunukuapua’as! Rental shuttles were there to meet us at the dockside, and take us the 7 miles out to the airport. We got our cars and dropped back down to pick up our people and head down to Pu’uhonua O Honaunau, the Place of Refuge, and one of the best places to snorkel in the state. The drive anywhere in Hawaii is wonderful, and this one was no exception, with a Kona Coffee store about every mile. The location is a cove partly protected by a lava breakwater, but it still gets a lot of wave action. The water was beautifully clear with a number of turtles that had come to feed as well as a multitude of reef fish. There was no fee; you just had to watch getting in and out off the lava. I had an underwater camera and got some great shots of the turtles.

Kahalu’u Beach Park was another snorkel stop on the way back, with more turtles, the water just not as clear.

We went back to Kona, dropped off our passengers for shopping, and the cars at the airport. One thing you realize early on is that our 50th state has inadequate roads for the number of cars. I’m sure there is a logical explanation, but no one mentioned it while we were there. Be prepared, however, for congested traffic on all the islands.

Oahu Redeaux – Back to Honolulu, Mike and I cabbed it out to the airport about 15 minutes from the pier, returned to pick up our people and luggage and went out to a hotel room by the airport we had reserved for the group. Our flight was 10:20 PM, so we had another day in paradise. Off we went once again to the Aloha Swap meet to pick up those beads and trinkets for the folks back home. They do have a lot of special items, so take your time. I got a red plumeria cutting to add to my tropical plant collection for example. After an hour, we regrouped and headed to the North Shore a very pretty drive through the countryside, by the Dole pineapple and coffee plantation. There we saw Sharks Cove, and spent a lot of the afternoon at beautiful Sunset Beach just relaxing and watching the surfers on a pretty calm day. Hawaii really does a lot to provide good facilities and lifeguards for its people and visitors.

Sadly, we drove back to the hotel freshened up, dropped off luggage and the cars, and had one last group dinner in the airport before the night flight back to Houston. The ending to a wonderful vacation.

GCurry: thanks for the review... sounds like you had a wonderful time... can't wait to see the pix!! I can relate to the motion of the ocean taking over your lead!!! ;) :D :D

I never thought of Houston as being the "hub of Travel" but we may have to consider it for a possible retirement location!! :)

Now I am off to the bookstore to buy some of the "revealed" publications and dream of warmer climates!!! :cool:

Aloha!!

Lorraine

Great review! Did this trip last July and your review brought back wonderful memories! I loved Fanning Island! Thanks!

Becky

GCurry,

Can you tell us what time was the muster drill on the first day?

Later,

John

The first drill came promptly at 5:00PM. All but one small suitcase was at our cabin by 4:00 so we were nearly unpacked before we had to go up to deck 7. It didn't take very long, maybe 15 minutes.

Let us know if you have any more questions.

Aloha and Mahalo,

Thanks for the great review. It sounds sooo wonderful. We are booked for May to Alaska and we're counting the days. :)

DH was wondering how early (in am) something would be open for him to get a coffee, so I can sleep lol and if anyone knows which place.

Sharon

Hi Sharon,

Tea and Coffee service is available 24 hours in the Sports Bar & Grill (breakfast buffet starts at 6:30), Deck 12, Aft. Breakfast Buffets are available at 6:00am in the Pizzeria, Deck 11, Aft, and at 7:00am in the Four Seasons, Deck 9, Mid. Ala Carte Breakfast beginning at 7:30am in the Terraces, Deck 9, Aft.

Enjoy your cruise!

Aloha,

Thank you, DH will be a happy camper when I tell him :)

This is what I love about cc, someone always knows

Sharon